Am i even remotely competitive?

[babalaba]

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Hi all,

I plan on applying MD, I was hoping to get some insight onto whether or not my application is competitive, as I do plan on applying this cycle come May, thanks.

GPA: 3.94, est. 3.96 by application submission

MCAT: 511

**Clinical:**

1. 600 hours scribing

**Volunteering:**

1. \~250 hours at a food bank
2. \~150 hours doing youth mentoring with justice-involved youth

**Shadowing:**

\~150 hours across 3 specialties: Cardiology, Dermatology, & Nephrology, observed several surgical procedures over the course of this time.

**LORs:**

I'm 110% sure that 2/3 of my LORs are very, very strong, and I'm quite sure that my last one is also going to be well-written too.

**Research:**

1. \~200 hours undergrad research, no pubs

**Misc.:**

1. Part of a Campus Hospital Health Ambassador program, consists of giving hospital tours to highschoolers interested in the medical field

* I hold a VP of Philanthropy & Service position here, so I have helped with creating, structuring, and organizing volunteer opportunities for students on campus as well as for highschoolers

1. Created a campus-affiliated club in association with the youth mentoring nonprofit I work with to increase engagement and awareness with the student body

**Hobbies:**

Several hours spent playing guitar & tennis

-----------------------------

The rest of this post is an emotional vent as a result of receiving my MCAT score back today, so feel free to ignore lol.

I am very disappointed in myself tbh, with an average of 515 and my last FL being a 521 I'm quite upset that I dropped so heavily. I can't help but feel subpar with a score like this, and even moreso with the hours of my ECs, which I feel even calling it subpar is a stretch seeing the thousands of hours many people here have dedicated to all their ECs.

I really, really do not want to have to take a gap year, but now I'm not so sure.

Am I competitive for MD? is there even a point applying to any t30 or better with stats like these? not to sound like a broken record but I cant help but feel overwhelmingly mediocre. Thanks in advance for any advice, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

Welcome to the forums.

If you want to be buttered up, you're more competitive than someone who has a 2.8x and scored a 480.

Please complete the WAMC template:
1) What is your state of legal residence?

2) What are your responsibilities for your activities? How many hours?

3) Why aren't you looking at DO programs? Why are you only interested in brand-name programs?

4) What is your purpose as a physician? How do you demonstrate mission alignment with schools you want to attend?

5) What advice have you gotten from prehealth advisors or admissions recruiters you have interacted with?

 

[Faha]

Where is your state of residence?

 

[babalaba]

Where is your state of residence?

I live in Tennessee, thank you.

 

[babalaba]

Welcome to the forums.

If you want to be buttered up, you're more competitive than someone who has a 2.8x and scored a 480.

Please complete the WAMC template:
1) What is your state of legal residence?

2) What are your responsibilities for your activities? How many hours?

3) Why aren't you looking at DO programs? Why are you only interested in brand-name programs?

4) What is your purpose as a physician? How do you demonstrate mission alignment with schools you want to attend?

5) What advice have you gotten from prehealth advisors or admissions recruiters you have interacted with?

1) I live in Tennessee.

2) I believe this is outlined in my post.

3) I do not believe I would be satisfied within a DO program.

4) At this point in time I still need to devise a more concrete school list, as I just recently received my score.

5) I have not speaker to any advisors yet at this time.

Thank you.

 

[Mr.Smile12]

2) I believe this is outlined in my post.

Please fill in the gaps for these activities:
1. \~250 hours at a food bank
2. \~150 hours doing youth mentoring with justice-involved youth

3) I do not believe I would be satisfied within a DO program.

Why do you believe this? What recruitment events have you attended hosted by DO schools?

4) At this point in time I still need to devise a more concrete school list, as I just recently received my score.

5) I have not speaker to any advisors yet at this time.

Faha and others can generate lists for you, so I'm buying them time.

I presume you have already looked at your in-state options, which I would include. Other than that, most of your listed activities involve mentoring/teaching youth. I don't see much where you have stretched outside your comfort zone to connect with communities unlike yourself or become comfortable with uncomfortable people or situations. I have no idea of the context of your 600 hours of scribing, but I hope it will include some element of primary care which your shadowing does not list.

 

[orangecat77]

Hello. Like you said, your stats and ECs are a bit below average for MD programs. I think you need to choose between 1) taking a gap year to improve your MCAT and hours or 2) opening yourself up to DO programs if you’re dead set on applying now. There’s always a chance you get into a state MD school with your application as-is, but imo it’s equally likely you end up as a re-applicant next cycle taking a gap year anyway.